Accessible Mobile Apps - Issue #46
Hello everyone,
Hope you're having a great week. As always, don't hesitate to reach out with any suggestions for the next issue via email (hello@accessiblemobileapps.com) or Twitter (or Mastodon).
- Robin
Reddit (again)
Reddit has been under heavy criticism lately with its new API policy, accessible 3rd party Reddit apps being shut down, and dramatic decrease in accessibility on its platform. In this article, they say certain features "will be compatible with screen readers from next month." For more details from the user perspective, check out the sub-reddit r/Blind: reddit.com, which has several pinned posts on the subject.
X (the artist formerly known as Twitter)
If Reddit wasn't causing enough uproar, Twitter announced its new app, called simply "X", will have dark mode only. We all know how Musk likes stirring up drama, so I hope this is just a publicity stunt, and he will go back to accommodating both light and dark mode in the app.
Research: Challenges for Screen-Reader Users on Mobile
Neilson Norman Group provide a nice summary of their research about challenges for screen-reader users. With plenty of examples of good and bad design, this was an interesting read.
Design: What designers can learn from Apple’s latest accessibility features
This is a nice read for designers, that suggests goes feature by feature talking about what designers can take with them into their next projects.
Legislation: Updates from around the world
Deque gives a nice breakdown of recent events in legislation from the US to Canada to Europe.
A11y Talks: Accessibility in Action: Indigenous Communities
Accessibility should include all people from all walks of life, but when is the last time you have considered accessibility relating to indigenous communities?
iOS
Vision Pro Development Kit
With the release of the developer kit for Vision Pro, we get more of a glimpse into what accessibility features will be available on this new device.
iPhone 15 Action Button
Look out, there's a new button in town! Leaks about the iPhone 15 talk about a new "action button" that can be used for shortcuts, including accessibility shortcuts.
iOS 17 Accessibility Updates
I'm sure you've already seen summary articles and videos about the accessibility features coming out in iOS 17, but I enjoyed how this one provides a small demo of each feature as he talks about it, to make the feature seem more "real" in your mind.
And this next video is longer with more detail. In this video, I learned about the new Screen Distance feature (see timestamp 3:30), and about the enhancements to Voice Control (see timestamp 10:30).
Finally, in iOS 17 Siri got an update where AirPods authenticate Siri requests: aestumanda.com. This can help people with low mobility, to avoid having to physically unlock their device before every Siri command.
Android
Android Worldwide
The latest edition of Android Worldwide included a talk about "Building Accessible Apps with Jetpack Compose" by Karol Wrótniak:
How to Provide Mobile Accessibility in Your Native Android App | Guide — Part 1
Starts off with the basics, but I look forward to the future parts of this series about Android accessibility.
Jetpack Compose Modifiers for Accessibility
Another good article with examples getting you up to speed about using modifiers to improve accessibility.
Join the Accessible Mobile Apps Slack Group
Use this link to join our Slack workspace for mobile accessibility. Ask technical questions, share resources, get advice from other developers, and most importantly connect with developers who share your passion for a11y.